Regional Liberalisation of Trade in Services (original) (raw)
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Regional Liberalization of Trade in Services
2010
As the impact of trade in services on the current global financial crisis appears to overtake that of trade in goods, we propose to examine liberalization of trade in services through regional trade agreements (RTAs). The regional liberalization of trade in services is expected to generate significant welfare gains both in the services and goods sectors. However, the quantitative effect of RTAs under GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) Article V has not been sufficiently investigated. We attempt to fill this gap by applying a gravity regression analysis to four major services sectors—financial services, business services, communication services, and transportation services—while controlling for both country-specific and time-varying importer and exporter fixed effects. We find that (i) the RTAs under GATS Article V create services trade among members and do not divert services trade from nonmembers, but the trade-enhancing effect is sector-specific; (ii) the sector-specifi...
Liberalizing Trade in Services
Liberalization of trade and investment in services through trade agreements has progressed less than trade in goods. We review the limited progress achieved to date in the WTO and major regional agreements on services and possible explanations why trade agreements have not been more effective at integrating the services markets of participating countries. We argue that the prospects for both services liberalization and welfare-enhancing regulatory reform in the context of trade agreements can be enhanced through mechanisms that enhance transparency, dialogue and cooperation between regulators, trade officials and stakeholders.
The Impact of Services Trade Liberalisation on Trade in Non-Agricultural Products
OECD Trade Policy Papers, 2008
This study finds that trade in services contributes to a broader services supplier base that supports competitiveness in high-technology and high-value added manufacturing. It is shown that with low, but still significant trade costs in services, large countries have a comparative advantage for services-intensive manufactured goods, an advantage that is enhanced if the country also produces intermediate services more effectively or has lower barriers to entry for services suppliers. Countries with superior organisational technology (using producer services more effectively) will strengthen their comparative advantage in manufacturing following services trade liberalisation. The impact of services trade liberalisation on trade in manufacturing is non-linear. Until trade costs have reached a threshold level the trade response is quite modest. Consequently, going the last mile of services trade liberalisation, including lowering regulatory barriers, will have the largest impact. Exports of labour-intensive manufactures require a host of supporting services and the need for these services has increased over time due to rapidly changing consumer tastes and growing consumer awareness of health, safety and social standards. In order to support industrial development, developing countries need to focus their services trade policy not only on offensive interests, but also on ensuring that local manufacturers have the best possible access to services. Improving market access in telecommunications and business services; particularly legal services, accounting, advertising and technical consulting services would have the largest impact.
A Handbook on Negotiating Preferential Trade Agreements: Services Liberalization
the secretariat of the escAp is the regional development arm of the united nations and serves as the main economic and social development centre of the United Nations in Asia and the Pacific. Its mandate is to foster cooperation between its 53 members and 9 associate members. It provides the strategic link between global and country-level programmes and issues. It supports governments of countries in the region in consolidating regional positions and advocates regional approaches to meeting the region' s unique socio-economic challenges in a globalizing world. The ESCAP secretariat is located in Bangkok, Thailand. Please visit the ESCAP website at www.unescap.org for further information.
OECD Trade Policy Papers, 2004
Services liberalisation: identifying opportunities and gains This study has two components: identification of concrete examples of services exports by developing countries, and quantitative studies on the gains from services liberalisation. While the study is by no means comprehensive, and is subject to many limitations, two fundamental findings emerge. The first of these findings, documented in Part I of the study, is that there is clear evidence that developing countries have important service sector export interests beyond mode 4 (temporary movement of services supplying personnel), being global or regional players in sectors such as business services (out-sourcing), port and shipping services, audiovisual services, telecommunications, construction services and health services. The second of these findings, documented in Part II of the study, is that for most countries, including many developing countries, export-related gains from services liberalisation are neither the only nor the largest basis of expected gains. A large portion of benefits from services liberalisation derive, not from seeking better market access abroad, but from the increased competitiveness and efficiency of the domestic market. Together, the study's two findings underscore the potential benefits of services liberalisation, both for developed and for developing countries.
Capturing the Implications of Services Trade Liberalization
Economic Systems Research, 2002
This paper evaluates the impact of service sector trade liberalization on the world economy by a tenregion, eleven-sector CGE model with import embodied technology transfer from developed countries to developing countries. Simulation results show that service sector trade liberalization not only directly affects world service production and trade, but also have significant implications for other sectors in the economy. The major channel of the impact is through inter-industry input-output relations and TFP growth induced from service imported by developing countries from developed countries, which may embodied with new information and advanced technology.
Barriers and liberalization of trade in services
2018
The construction of trade in value-added statistics is an important milestone for services research because it has unveiled the actual importance of services in trade and global value chains activities. Taking into account services inputs in manufacturing exports, export share of services has increased from 23 per cent to 45 per cent (OECD and WTO, 2013).
WAI-ZEI Paper No. 12 2014, 2014
This paper draws insights from the literature on Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Modeling of potential gains from liberalization for developing countries, in particular Northern, Eastern and Southern African economies. Due to the importance of regulatory framework and to the size of service industries, substantial potential gains are expected from liberalization, by accession to WTO, regional, preferential or bilateral trade agreements. However, it seems that attention should be focused on the specificity of each region and country and that a sectoral approach is necessary. Regarding the choice between multilateral, bilateral or regional liberalization, the optimal framework depends on service industries. Institutions particularly matter for services and reforms should be global and focused. Domestic reforms are necessary prior to trade liberalization.